Mechanical bending apparatus for making coiled tubing



Dec. 27, 1966 F. L. HOLTER 3,293,897

, MECHANICAL BENDING APPARATUS FOR MAKING COILED TUBING Filed March 18,1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 250 Ze BYWQW Dec. 27, 1966 F. HOLTER3,293,897

MECHANICAL BENDING APPARATUS FOR MAKING COILED TUBING Filed March 18,1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 O CL INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,293,897 MECHANICAL BENDING APPARATUS FOR MAKINGCIIJED TUBING Fred lL. Holter, 9668113 Lois Drive, Des Plaines, Ill.60016 Filed Mar. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 352,821 18 Claims. (Cl. 72-135) Thisinvention relates to a mechanical bending apparatus and in particular toa bending apparatus for developing the length of an elongated body suchas a tube or pipe into a spiral path of the helical type wherein thetube length or coil extends concurrently axially along and peripherallyor circumferentially from a central axis. The apparatus finds particularuse in fabricating a hand rail for a spiral staircase.

It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide amechanical bending apparatus for developing elongated members into acurving peripherally or circumferentially and axially extending coillike unit.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mechanical bendingapparatus for bending a member such as a tube into axially andcircumferentially extending spiral coil means whereby the diameter andthe axial distance between each coil or winding may be varied.

It is another object of this invention to provide a mechanical bendingapparatus for forming tubular hand rail for a spiral staircase wherebythe circumferential and axial dimensions of the rail coils may be variedin conforming with variation in the size of the risers and treads of thespiral staircase.

It is another object of this invention to provide a mechanical bendingapparatus in fabricating a hand rail for a spiral staircase wherein theapparatus is adjustable to accommodate varying diameters of spiralstairs; varying degrees of treads, and to the varying height of risers.

Another object is to provide a method for making coiled tubing.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a mechanicalbending apparatus being provided with guide means in the form of aplurality of adjustable tubes or sleeve members for receiving theelongated body or member to be coiled.

Another object of this invention is to provide sleeve elements for themechanical bending apparatus that receive the elongated body to becoiled wherein the sleeve elements may have flared tube entranceportions and may be provided with guide track means to guide thematerial and prevent it from crimping or otherwise deforming -as thebody or material is coiled.

These and other objects will become apparent from reference t-o thefollowing detailed description of a preferred construction taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of my invention taken along line 2 2 ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of my invention taken along line 3 3 ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of my invention taken along line 4-4 ofFIGURE 3;

FIGURE 4a is a sectional view taken along line 4a-4a of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a modified form of sleevemeans; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a modified form of the sleevemeans shown in FIGURE 4 and as taken generally along section line 7-7 ofFIGURES 7a and 7b;

ICC

FIGURE 7a is a sectional view taken along lines '7a-7a of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 7b is a sectional view taken along lines 7b-7b of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of a type of covered rail to be formed bythe sleeve means of FIGURE 7.

With reference now to the drawings and in particular to FIGURES 1through 4a, there is shown a mechanical bending apparatus 2 comprising asupport or tubular framework 4 having upper horizontal arms 6 and lowerhorizontal arms 8 and vertical standard 10 adjustably mounted in basemembers 12 by bolts 14. A material bending unit 16 is carried by thearms 6, 8 and 10 at the right side of the framework 4 as viewed inFIGURES 1 and 2. A material feed mechanism 18 feeds the material such asround tube or pipe 2l) to the bending or coil forming unit 16 andcomprises a base 22 and a gear box 24 for driving feed rolls 26 whichfeed tube 20 to unit 16, the gear box 24 being operated through pulleys28 and 3l) and belt 32 driven by motor 34.

The bending unit or coil forming structure 16 cornprises thelongitudinal beams or plates 36, the two flat semi-circular disc-likeplates 38, 38 and the adjustable material guide means or sleevestructure 40. The two vertical end plates 38, 3S are welded and boltedto the support structure 16 at arms 6, 8, 10 as by welds 42 and bolts 44as seen in FIGURES 1 and 2. Each longitudinal beam or plate 36 isL-shaped having axially extending sides 46 and 48 and is provided withend sides Sil. The end plates 38, 38 have arcuate slots 51 for receivingbolts 52 that fasten sides 5G of beams 36 to the plates 38. The arcuateslots 51 allow for circumferential adjustment of the beams 36 on theplates 38. The side 48 of each beam 36 is with a plurality of horizontalaligned apertures 54 for receiving bolts 55 for holding at plate or arm56 of the guide structure 40 in two of such apertures 54 to provide fora plurality of axial or horizontal positions for the guide structure 40.The guide arm 56 is provided with a plurality of radially extendingpairs of apertures 57 for receiving bolts 55 to provide for a pluralityof positions of the arm 56 radially displaced from the center or axis ofthe bending unit 16. Thus it is seen that the beam 36 may be arcuatelymoved to several positions along the disc plates 38, 38 and the guidemeans 40 may be moved to a number of positions horizontally along thebeams 36 as to a number of positions radially of the beams.

The outer end of the guide arm 56 is provided with a guide element orsleeve 58 :for receiving the end of the material or hollow tube 20 Aasit moves in its spiraling7 or helical path circumferentially and`axially along the bending unit 16.

Each hollow sleeve or tube 58 is outwardly flared into a cone shape atits entrance end 59 and is `cylindri-cally shaped and -uniiared at -itsexit end 60 (see FIGURE 4) and is held by welding to clamp arms 61 heldby fastening means 62 to outer end 63 of plate 56 (see FIGURE 2). Analternate form of the sleeve 58y is shown in FIG- URES 5 and 16` where.the tubular sleeve 58a is 4flared at entrance and exi-t ends 59a and60a .and lhas an inte-gral cylindrical base 61a held by bolts 62extending through base 61a and arcuate slots 56C of integral roundbracket portion `56b of plate 56a, shown in FIGURES 7, 7a and 7b,permitting arcuate or vangular Iadjustment of the sleeve 58a on thebracket portion 56b. A further alternate -fonm of sleeve 58b has itsinner peripheral surface 63 provided with lower crescent shaped axiallytapering guide block or track 64 wider at entrance end 59 and narrowerat exit end 61 and held to sleeve 58b by screw means 65 and :upperaxially tapering guide block 66 wider at entrance end 59 and narrower:at exit end 61 and held to sleeve 58b by screw means 67. The .guideblock or track 66 has an internal rectangular projection 68 thatcooperates with iiat surface 69 of guide block' 64 `for channeling andlguiding U-shaped rail 20a through opening or channel 70 of sleeve 58b.Thus the U-shaped rail 20a is prevented from bending or buckling as itpasses through sleeve 58b and may thereafter be capped by hand railcover 71 as shown by FIG-URE 8 for a spiral staircase.

Thus it is seen that there is provided a bending apparatus fordeveloping elongated members into a spiral form of the helical typefinding use in the production of the hand rails 20 or 20a for a spiralstair case where the member or rail 20 may be of varying diameter and ofvarying axial extent, the degrees of tread for a spiral staircase rail36 being determined by the angula-r position of one beam or guidecarrier relative to another by the end plates or spacer means 38 andwherein :the number of beams or carriers 36 may be varied. Further, theguide means 40 are radially extended outwardly or withdrawn inwardly forvarying the -diameter of the helical coil of the tube-like rail 20, 20ato accommodate the diametrical size of the spiral staircase. Also, therail 20, 20a may be made to conform to the height of the riser of thesta-ir by varying the axial proximity of one guide means 40` relative toanother. Also, the entrance end off each guide or sleeve means 58 may beangularly adjusted to insure proper alignment with a preceding sleevemeans 58 and the sleeve means may 'be flared to insure reception of themember 20 or 20a therein. Too, the :guide means may be provided withinternal track or tube guides 64, i66 for maintaining the diametric orperimeter shape oli tube or rail member in its travel through the sleeveor :guide means.

Further there is provided :a method of makin-g spiral coil tubinggenerally helical in orm from an elongated tubular body by `feeding thesame through the apparatus as aforedescribed.

The guide means 40 may be so positioned on the framework or lixture 4 ina reverse pattern as shown by the dotted lines in FIGURE 3 all-owing the`fabrication of hand rails for the opposite side of the staircasel suchas making right-handed as Well as left-handed rails. Whereas, FIGURE 2has dotted lines illustrating a second radial position of the guidemeans 40 for the fabrication of hand rails of, greater diameter.

It will be appreciated that variations and modifications of theembodiment disclosed may occur within the scope of the inventiondescribed herein without departing from the spiri-t of the invention andthat the embodiment disclosed herein is not to be considered as alimitation on the .sc-ope or breadth of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bending apparatus for coiling an elongated tubelike member into aspiral coil pattern of the general helical type for use as .a spiralstaircase rail and the like comprising a pair of diametrically opposedradially extending spacers, axially extending guide carrying membersdisposed between the spacers and extending radially outward from thecentral Iaxis ofthe apparatus, and means coupling the guide carryingmembers and the spacers in angular positioning of one `guide carryingmember relative to the other, said guide carrying members each having anouter portion collectively presenting with another a generalcircumferential z-one adapted to determine t-he general diametric extentof the spiral coil pattern, and guide means disposed on the outerportion of each guide carrying means in the circumferential zone andadapted tfor the reception of the tube-like member in coiledcircumscribing and axial travel above the apparatus from one Iguidemeans to another.

2. The invent-ion according to claim 1 and said apparatus being providedwith means ,for axially adjustable positioning of the guide means alongthe guide carrying members.

3. The invention according to claim ,1 and said apparatus being providedwith means for radially adjustable positioning of the guide means alongthe guide carrying member.

4. The invention according to claim 1 and said guide means comprising asleeve adapted for reception of the tube-like member from a precedingsleeve.

5. The invention according to claim 1 and said spacers each having meansconnecting with the guide carrying members and adjusting the angularityof one guide member relative to another.

6. A mechanical bending apparatus for coiling an elongated tube-likemember into a spiral coil pattern of the general helical type comprisinga pair of diametrically opposed radially extending spacers, a pluralityof axially elongated beam means radiating out from the central axis ofthe apparatus and connecting with each spacer in determinative angularspaced relation of one beam means relative to the other, each beam meanspresenting an outer peripheral surface to define collectively withanother surface a circumferential sleeve zone, a plurality of sleevesfor reception of the tube-like member in circumferential array in thesleeve zone, each sleeve being mounted on a complemental beam meanssurface dening an axial and radial coiled path for the tube-likemembers.

7. The invention according to claim 6 and each spacer defining agenerally semi-circular plate provided with means associated with arespective .beam means in predetermining the angularity of therespective beam means to an adjacent beam means.

8. The invention according to claim 6 and said sleeve being providedwith means connecting with a respective beam means for extending thesleeve radially of the respective beam means.

9. The invention according to claim 6 and said sleeve being providedwith means connecting with a respective beam means for extending thesleeve axially of the respective beam means.

10. A mechanical bending apparatus for coiling an elongated part in ageneral helical type pattern comprising a plurality of axially extendingmembers, each member spaced in angular relation to one another andhaving an inner portion extending radially inward toward a central axisof the bending apparatus and having an outer peripheral portionextending radially outwardly to define with one another a generallycircumferentially arrayed guide carriage structure, and guide meansprovided for the reception of the elongated part and disposed on theouter peripheral portion of the member, and cooperative with the guidemeans of another member for coiling the elongated part about thecarriage structure, and means operatively associated with the guidemeans and the outer peripheral portion of the member and operative toposition the guide means along the members in varying the dimension ofthe elongated part in the coiling thereof.

11. The invention according to claim 10 and said guide means comprisinga sleeve element mounted on the outer peripheral portion and adapted toreceive the elongated part from a preceding sleeve element.

12. The invention according to claim 10 and said guide means comprisinga sleeve element mounted on the outer peripheral portion and having anoutwardly flared inlet end adapted to receive the elongated part from apreceding sleeve element.

13. The invention according to claim 10 and said guide means comprisinga sleeve element mounted on the outer peripheral portion and havingoutwardly ared inlet and exit portions adapted to receive the elongatedpart from a preceding sleeve element.

14. The invention according to claim 10 and spacer means connecting witheach member and provided with angle adjusting means adapted to adjustthe angularity of one member relative to another.

15. The invention laccording to claim 10 and said guide means comprisinga hollow sleeve element mounted on the outer peripheral portion andtrack means disposed Wtihin the sleeve element adapted to guide the path0f the elongated member through the sleeve element.

16. The invention according to claim 10 and said apparatus beingprovided wtih part feeding means and with adjustable support means forthe member, said adjustable support means being provided with me-ansadapted for registering the feed means with the guide means in thetravel of the elongated part from the feed means to the guide means.

17. The invention according to claim 10 and said last mentioned means:comprising means operatively connecting the radial -portions of theguide means and the members and adapted to provide radial adjustment ofthe sleeve means relative to the members in varying the diametric extentof the elongated part.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 506,157 10-/1893Clarke 72-369 885,139 4/1908 Brown 72-457 1,105,914 8/1914 Miller 72-166CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

L. A. LARSON, Assistant Examiner.

1. A BENDING APPARATUS FOR COILING AN ELONGATED TUBELIKE MEMBER INTO ASPIRAL COIL PATTERN OF THE GENERAL HELICAL TYPE FOR USE AS A SPIRALSTAIR CASE RAIL AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A PAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSEDRADIALLY EXTENDING SPACERS, AXIALLY EXTENDING GUIDE CARRYING MEMBERSDISPOSED BETWEEN THE SPACERS AND EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD FROM THECENTRAL AXIS OF THE APPARATUS, AND MEANS COUPLING THE GUIDE CARRYINGMEMBERS AND THE SPACERS IN ANGULAR POSITIONING OF ONE GUIDE CARRYINGMEMBER RELATIVE TO THE OTHER, SAID GUIDE CARRYING MEMBERS EACH HAVING ANOUTER PORTION COLLECTIVELY PRESENTING WITH ANOTHER A GENERALCIRCUMFERENTIAL ZONE ADAPTED TO DETERMINED THE GENERAL DIAMETRIC EXTENTOF THE SPIRAL COIL PATTERN, AND GUIDE MEANS DISPOSED ON THE OUTERPORTION OF EACH GUIDE CARRYING MEANS IN THE CIRCUMFERENTAIL ZONE ANDADAPTED FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE TUBE-LIKE MEMBER IN COILEDCIRCUMSCRIBING AND AXIAL TRAVEL ABOVE THE APPARATUS FROM ONE GUIDE MEANSTO ANOTHER.